A method of providing a shelf-attached tag holder defining an upwardly-open slot for receiving a main price tag and further having a slip-fit top attachment system; and placing a main price tag into the upwardly-open slot in a visible position. The method also includes temporarily attaching a supplemental information tag by sliding a top edge of the supplemental information tag into the downwardly-open front throat with a folded attachment flange providing positive engagement with the slip-fit top attachment system, with the supplemental information tag being positioned in front of the main price tag. The method also includes, after the step of temporarily attaching, a step of pulling the supplemental information price tag downwardly with sufficient force to overcome the positive engagement of the folded attachment flange to thus remove the supplemental information tag without disturbing the main price tag.
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2. A combination for providing temporary product information for products on store shelves without removing existing product price tags, comprising:
a store shelf with a front edge and a tag holder on the front edge, the tag holder defining an upwardly-open slot and further having a slip-fit top attachment system forward of the upwardly-open slot;
a main price tag positioned in the upwardly-open slot in a position visible from a position in front of the tag holder, the main price tag being a first sheet with first indicia thereon; and
a supplemental information tag with a tag body and a folded attachment flange along a top edge, the tag body of the supplemental information tag including a die-cut second sheet with second indicia printed thereon and further including a clear panel window; the folded attachment flange of the supplemental information tag securely engaging the slip-fit top attachment system with the window being positioned in front of a portion of the first indicia and with the front panel being entirely between and separating the main price tag and the supplemental information tag, but the folded attachment flange being sufficiently flexible so that the supplemental information tag can be removed by pulling sharply downwardly on the supplemental information tag to bend and thus overcome the secure engagement of the folded attachment flange and thus remove the supplemental information tag but without disturbing the main price tag.
1. A method of providing supplemental/temporary product information for products on store shelves, comprising steps of:
providing a store shelf with a front edge and a tag holder on the front edge, the tag holder having front and rear panels defining an upwardly-open slot for receiving a main price tag and further having a slip-fit top attachment system at a top of the front panel that includes a downwardly-open front throat defined by protrusions;
placing a main price tag into the upwardly-open slot in a position visible through the front panel, the main price tag being a first sheet with first indicia thereon;
providing a supplemental information tag with a tag body and a folded attachment flange connected to the body by a fold and having a downward-extending free edge, the tag body of the supplemental information tag including a die-cut second sheet with second indicia printed thereon and further including a clear panel window;
temporarily attaching the supplemental information tag by sliding the top edge of the supplemental information tag into the downwardly-open front throat with the downward-extending free edge of the folded attachment flange being biased outwardly by the fold to provide positive engagement with one of the protrusions of the slip-fit top attachment system, with the supplemental information tag being positioned in front of the main price tag with the window being positioned in front of a portion of the first indicia and with the front panel being entirely between and separating the main price tag and the supplemental information tag; and
later, pulling the supplemental information price tag downwardly with sufficient force to overcome the positive engagement of the folded attachment flange to thus remove the supplemental information tag without disturbing the main price tag, thus temporarily attaching and later removing the supplemental information tag without disturbing the main price tag.
3. The method defined in
4. The combination defined in
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This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 12/760,982 filed Apr. 15, 2010, entitled PRICE INFORMATION TAG; application Ser. No. 12/760,982 is a divisional of application Ser. No. 11/612,821 filed Dec. 19, 2006, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,020,765, issued on Sep. 20, 2011, entitled METHOD OF PRINTING, DISTRIBUTING AND PLACING PRICE INFORMATION, which in turn claims benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 60/793,170 filed Apr. 19, 2006, entitled METHOD OF PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTING PRICE INFORMATION TAGS under 35 U.S.C. §119(e), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety.
The present invention relates to price information tags attached to shelves under (or over) the products being sold and to other information associated with products for sale. The present tags are particularly attractive due to the multi-color and high resolution of the digital presses that print them and further have features supporting multi-function and flexible/efficient use.
Recently, some stores have begun using a newly-developed extruded price-tag holder attached to a front of in-store shelves. One known extruded price-tag holder (described later in the present disclosure) includes a clear front panel connected along a bottom to a co-extruded opaque rear panel. The front and rear panels define an open-top slot for receiving a “main” price tag, visible through the clear front panel. The clear front panel further includes a frictional three-point slip-fit top attachment system defined by alternating fingers or ridges that allow a “supplemental” price tag to be slipped upwardly into frictional engagement and retained by friction along a top ⅛th inch of the supplemental price tag. By this arrangement, a supplemental price tag indicating an “in-store special” can be overlaid on the main price tag, without having to remove the main price tag. The arrangement is advantageous since it allows supplemental price tags to be quickly inserted with a simple upward motion, and also quickly removed by a quick downward pull.
However, the three-point slip-fit attachment system of this extruded price tag holder sometimes does not create enough friction to retain the supplemental price tag, which results in the supplemental price tags being knocked out of position toward a side (such as being knocked to an angled position) or results in the supplemental price tags falling completely off the price tag holder. For example, inadequate friction may be caused by wear on the flanges that form the three-point slip-fit retention system. Also inadequate friction may be caused by the extruded flanges being longitudinally warped or “wavy,” which is a fundamental processing problem that often occurs in extrusions due to the extrusion process. This longitudinally warped condition may occur in extrusions as originally manufactured, or may occur over time as the extrusion “creeps” and changes shape over time. For whatever reason, the relationship of the tips of the three flanges intended to cause the frictional retention may vary, resulting in the three flanges in at least some areas not creating sufficient friction on an inserted price tag. An improvement is desired in a price tag so that the price tag will positively and securely engage this three-point attachment system, even if the three flanges are distorted out of their friction-causing positions. However, the improvement must preferably still allow the price tag to be pulled out of the extruded price tag holder without damage to the extruded price-tag holder.
Consumers (as well as consumer protection laws) require accurate information about products being displayed on store shelves. Price information (such as a price change) placed on a shelf “too soon” or “too late” causes considerable consumer dissatisfaction (e.g., out-of-stocks or “mis-stocks”) and/or causes significant in-store confusion or delays (e.g., price checks), as well as concern from regulatory agencies. However, getting tags onto shelves is a surprisingly complex and difficult task for a number of reasons. For example, buyers may be negotiating on supplier prices right up to the last possible minute, such that prices and even product availability may be uncertain until the “last possible minute.” Product availability and delivery concerns may also cause uncertainty right up to the last possible minute. Management often wants to make product pricing decisions as close as possible to the “on sale” date so that uncertainties about future product availability and consumer purchasing trends and other price-related strategies can be incorporated into the pricing decisions. Thus, a system is desired allowing retail prices to be set as late as possible to allow optimal (last minute) control over retail pricing, and further a system is desired giving greater control to the retail store management late in the printing process.
Aside from timing issues noted above, information management is very difficult. Large stores now carry hundreds of thousands of products, and the logistics of getting timely-printed price information tags in appropriate places on store shelves is a time-consuming, highly-manually-intensive task. An amazing amount of time is spent inefficiently walking from one shelf to another, and from one end of a shelf to another end, as price information tags are attached to shelves under associated product. Further, this often leads to errors, such as tags being put under the wrong product, or tags simply not being put up at all. Further, attachment of the tags must be secure and long-lasting, yet inexpensive and easily engaged. Thus, a system is desired allowing tags to be securely attached, with minimal risk of mis-location, with secure but low-cost attachment systems. Further, it is preferable that a particular tag be able to be attached in multiple ways, given that many stores have different attachment mechanisms on their shelves.
Recent studies show that product sales can potentially be increased if the price information tags have high-quality product pictures and color on them. However, this adds greatly to the cost and lead times required for printing the price information tags. Specifically, in order for pictures to be placed on tags, the data for the pictures must be combined with price information, arranged for printing, and then printed. This greatly complicates printing of price information tags, since it compounds problems associated with getting accurate price information onto the tags, with getting accurate pictures onto the tags. Also, the quality of the pictures is very important, since poor photographs will potentially result in the consumer implying poor quality to the store and/or to the products being sold.
Some stores have attempted to reduce the lead time for providing price information tags by having in-store printing capabilities. However, it is difficult to control the quality of in-store printing for many reasons. High-quality printing equipment is expensive, and it is often not cost-justified to purchase a high-quality machine for each of several different stores. Further, the ability to produce high quality pictures is closely related to skilled machine operators and good quality printing materials and maintenance of the printing machine. Thus, it is difficult to control the quality of on-site printing machinery over time.
Digital presses are relatively new machines, and are capable of producing extremely high-quality pictures at high speeds. Software does exist for managing work flow and information to the digital presses. For example, see Wiechers patent application publications 2005/0030557 A1 and 2005/0043848 A1. However, to the present inventor's knowledge, the advantages and abilities of digital presses have not been used in the environment of price information tags and displays, where customized real-time information is used in conjunction with attachment technology to form tags and displays having particular structure facilitating their use in a just-in-time manner to optimize their value to a retail store.
Thus, a system and method having the aforementioned advantages and solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
In one aspect of the present invention a method of providing supplemental/temporary product information for products on store shelves includes providing a store shelf with a front edge and a tag holder on the front edge, the tag holder having front and rear panels defining an upwardly-open slot for receiving a main price tag and further having a slip-fit top attachment system at a top of the front panel that includes a downwardly-open front throat defined by protrusions; and placing a main price tag into the upwardly-open slot in a position visible through the front panel. The method also includes providing a supplemental information tag with a tag body and a folded attachment flange connected to the body by a fold and having a downward-extending free edge; and temporarily attaching the supplemental information tag by sliding the top edge of the supplemental information tag into the downwardly-open front throat with the downward-extending free edge of the folded attachment flange being biased outwardly by the fold to provide positive engagement with one of the protrusions of the slip-fit top attachment system, with the supplemental information tag being positioned in front of the main price tag. The method also includes later, after the step of temporarily attaching, a step of pulling the supplemental information price tag downwardly with sufficient force to overcome the positive engagement of the folded attachment flange to thus remove the supplemental information tag without disturbing the main price tag, thus temporarily attaching and later removing the supplemental information tag without disturbing the main price tag.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method of providing temporary product information for products on store shelves without removing existing product price tags includes providing a store shelf with a front edge and a tag holder on the front edge, the tag holder defining an upwardly-open slot and further having a slip-fit top attachment system forward of the upwardly-open slot; placing a main price tag into the upwardly-open slot in a position visible from a position in front of the tag holder; providing a supplemental information tag with a tag body and a folded attachment flange along a top edge; temporarily attaching the supplemental information tag over the main price tag by extending the folded attachment flange into the front throat with the folded attachment flange securely engaging the slip-fit top attachment system, with the supplemental information tag being positioned in front of the main price tag; and removing the supplemental information tag by pulling sharply downwardly with sufficient force to overcome the secure engagement of the folded attachment flange and thus remove the supplemental information tag but without disturbing the main price tag.
In another aspect of the present invention, a combination for providing temporary product information for products on store shelves without removing existing product price tags includes a store shelf with a front edge and a tag holder on the front edge, the tag holder defining an upwardly-open slot and further having a slip-fit top attachment system forward of the upwardly-open slot. The combination also includes a main price tag positioned in the upwardly-open slot in a position visible from a position in front of the tag holder; a supplemental information tag with a tag body and a folded attachment flange along a top edge; the folded attachment flange of the supplemental information tag securely engaging the slip-fit top attachment system, but the folded attachment flange being sufficiently flexible so that the supplemental information tag can be removed by pulling sharply downwardly on the supplemental information tag to bend and thus overcome the secure engagement of the folded attachment flange and thus remove the supplemental information tag but without disturbing the main price tag.
These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present invention will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.
In some stores, point-of-purchase signs and shelf tags are printed in black, such as by using laser printers located in the stores. Store employees manipulate pre-determined print batches using web-based software, load pre-printed perforated shells (e.g. stock paper with pre-printed information thereon), print, separate, and then place the signs in their stores on a daily and weekly basis. (See
A prior art extruded price tag holder 150 (
The present inventive method of printing customized price information tags includes providing: a digital press capable of printing very high resolution multi-color pictures/photographs/graphics at high speed; a data management system with computer hardware connected for internet access; a database of stored information such as pictures, photographs, and symbols; and a supply of sheets having a suitable stiffness (i.e., that resist folding, bending, and wrinkling, and that are durable for good long term appearance) and having a high surface quality (i.e., that provide good appearance of digitally printed fonts and pictures) for use as price information tags attached to a store shelf. Updated information is received electronically via the internet, and combined with selected elements from the stored information using a data management system to generate customized tag data, which is communicated to the digital press to print customized multi-color price information tags and displays. The tags are cut to size and cut to include integral attachment tabs/barbs. The customized tag data is arranged to print tags in a series corresponding to product arrangement (i.e., “plan-o-gram” arrangement) of particular store shelves. The customized price information tags can be printed, cut and shipped on a just-in-time basis and in a predetermined sequence within just a very few hours, such as within 24 hours of receiving the “real-time” digital information off the internet.
The apparatus and system of
The present tag 15 can be attached in three different ways as shown in
By the above system, the inventor's study showed that an existing known company could cut printing costs by over one million dollars per year. Further, employee productivity is improved considerably, such as 40% for many employees, both when setting/hanging tags, and also for productivity in general manpower for managing/handling/printing tags. Also, the need for pre-printed stock is substantially eliminated. Still further, in-store errors are reduced, due to the use of sequentially arranged price information tags as supplied to the individual retail outlet stores. Problems associated with out-of-stock items are reduced, due to the shortened lead times required for supplying the present customized price information tags. Also, “false fronts” and mis-information is reduced or eliminated. Also, there are faster “resets,” where old tags are replaced with new updated price information tags, such as up to 40% faster resets where sequentially arranged price information tags are supplied. There is expected to be a considerably faster stocking, with substantial reduction in mis-stocks and mis-information on stocked items. Also, the present system will greatly reduce the need for consumer price checks and will greatly improve correct posting of product-to-price identification. Still further, high quality multi-color photographs and color images are on the price information tags, resulting in higher sales volumes based on consumer attraction to the signage (based on recent marketing studies). There will be improved quality over B&W toner commonly used in black laser printers, and improved paper quality due to the printing capabilities of the digital presses. There is a reduced need for toner cartridges and laser printer consumables and maintenance. Also, signs will be cut by high-volume accurate cutters, as opposed to less accurate local cut or tear systems now used at many retail outlets. Also, signs will be shipped in “plan-o-gram” order according to the layout of a particular store, promoting efficient installation, less wasted manual time, and improved accuracy of sign postings.
A price information tag 200 (also called a “price tag”) (
The price tag 200 (
A price information tag 250 (
The window price information tag 250 con also be used on a more traditional price holder channel 11 on a shelf 10, as shown in
It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structure without departing from the concepts of the present invention, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.
Nunez, Chris E., Wojczynski, Robert J.
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